Gas track heater



July 19, 1938. w. H. IGREENFIELD GAS TRACK HEATER Filed July 8, 1956 V INVENTOR I Y E I N m T Y A Patented July 19, 1938 PAT EN'T OFF I CE GAS TRAC K HEATER William H; Greenfield, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application July 8,

Claims.

which utilizes gas as a fuel to heat the burner.

With the above and other objects in view as 5 will hereinafter appear, my invention comprehends a novel gas track heater.

Itfurther comprehends a novel track heater, wherein the body portion is in the form of a single casting which forms one side and the ends of a heating chamber and thereby a shield for the flame and which carries the burnerand fuel feeding means, novel means being provided for introducing air for combustion and for venting the heater.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing a typical embodiment of it, which in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that the Various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and my invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a track heater embodying my invention in assembled relation with a rail to be heated.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the heater.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view, and

35 Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the heater when inverted.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:

The track heater is provided with a body portion I in the form of a casting having a rear wall 2, reversely inclined end walls 3, a bottom wall 4 and a top wall 5.

It will thus be clear that when the body portion is applied to a rail 6 to be heated. the downwardly inclined front edge I will contact the base flange of the rail, and the upwardly inclined front edge 8 will contact with the web of the rail.

The bottom wall of the body portion is at substantially right angles to the rear wall and is recessed near opposite ends to form air inlets 9.

The top wall 5 inclines from the rear wall forwardly and upwardly and is cut out at the end portions to form vent openings I I],

The body portion has a T shaped fitting II extending through its rear wall near its lower 1936, Serial Nb. 89,563

portion, and this fitting receives the looped pipes I2 having their free ends directed towards each other and receiving the ends of the foraminated, tubular, screen guard I3 and forming two spaced burners with their delivery ends directed towards each other. The T shaped fitting II is fixed to the body portion by a nut I l and an elbow I5 connected with a T- I6 having a gas jet fitting Il which terminates above the air inlet formed by the pipe I8.

I9 is a clamp to removably clamp the track heater to the rail to be heated.

Assuming now that the track heater is clamped to the rail, it will be clear that the web of the rail and the body portion form a closed heating chamber having the air inlets 9 and vent openings ill. The flame from the burner will be directed against the web of the rail and the products of combustion will vent openings Ill.

This construction has been found in practice to be very economical to construct, does not blow out in a high wind, and is very eflicient in properly heating the rail.

The body portion may be fiat, curved or any desired contour to form with the web and flange of the rail a heating chamber.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful gas track heater which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance,,shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas track heater, a body portion having top and bottom walls, a rear wall, and end walls having their front edges shaped to contact the base flange and web of a rail whereby the rail and body portion contribute to form a heating chamber, gas burners in said chamber having their delivery ends spaced from and directed towards each other, and means to feed a combustible mixture into opposite ends of said burner in opposite directions and the space between the burners being unobstructed whereby the flame from one burner impinges directly against the flame of the other burner, so that wind which through the vent 9 tends to extinguish the flame of one burner will lengthen the flame of the other burner.

2. In a gas track heater, a body portion having top and bottom walls, a rear wall, and end walls having their front edges shaped to contact the base flange and web of a rail whereby the rail and body portion contribute to form a heating chamber, said bottom wall having air inlets, and said top wall having vent openings, gas burners in said chamber having their delivery ends spaced from and directed towards each other, said air inlets and vent openings being located to elongate one flame to ignite the other flame in case such other flame has been extinguished, and means to feed a combustible mixture into said burners and the space between the burners being unobstructed whereby the flame'from one burner impinges directly against the flame of the other burner, so that wind which tends to extinguish the flame of one burner will lengthen the flame of the other burner.

3. In a gas track heater, a body portion having top and bottom Walls, a rear wall, and end walls having their front edges shaped to contact the base flange and web of a rail whereby the rail and body portion contribute to form a heating chamber, said bottom wall being cut away at its ends to form air inlets and said top wall being cut away to form vent openings, looped pipes having their discharge ends forming burners directed towards each other, and means to feed a combustible mixture to said pipes and the space between the burners being unobstructed whereby the flame from one burner impinges directly against the flame of the other burner, so that wind which tends to extinguish the flame of one burner Will lengthen the flame of the other burner.

4. In a gas track heater operating under natural draft, a body portion using the rail to complete a heating chamber having air admission and venting means, gas burners in said chamber having their delivery ends terminating in proximity to opposite ends of the casing and directed towards each other, means to feed a combustible mixture to said burners, and means to attach the heater to a rail,

5. In a gas track heater operating under natural draft, a body portion using the rail to complete a heating chamber having air admission ports and having vent ports at the upper end of the casing, gas burners in said chamber having their delivery ends terminating in proximity to opposite ends of the casing and directed to- Wards each other, a foraminated screen guard connecting the ends of the burners and into which the burners discharge, means to feed a combustible mixture to said burners, and means to attach the heater to a rail and the space between the burners being unobstructed whereby the flame from one burner impinges directly against the flame from the other burner so that wind which tends to blow out the flame from one burner will lengthen the flame from the other burner and thus cause the reignition of the first burner.

WILLIAM H. GREENFIELD. 

